Don't Close the Book
by Lastande Sarie
Summary: Song fic using Honor Society's song. Melissa meets an amazing guy one summer, but life doesn't always lead us in the way we want it to. Still, Melissa's not willing to give up yet. Jonas Brothers fan fic turned Camp Rock fanfic for crazinessgirl13.
1. Summer Crush

Chapter One – Summer Crush

_In chapter one_

_You were my summer crush_

_Chilled at the beach from dawn till dusk_

_Under my umbrella_

"Melissa! Over here!"

Melissa shaded her eyes against the setting sun, scanning the crowd for the one person that mattered. Finally she saw Jason down by the water, waving his arms wildly above the heads of everyone else on the beach. Laughing, Melissa waved back and began to make her way down to where he was. There were more people than usual on the beach, waiting eagerly for the sun to set, darkness to fall, and the fireworks to begin. The smell of hot dogs roasting over fires made Melissa's stomach growl.

Jason was suddenly standing right in front of her, holding out his hands to take some things from her. "We got a great spot right by the water. We've been here all afternoon."

"I would have been here earlier, but I had to wait for the plumber to come." Melissa willingly handed over some of her load.

"I'm just glad you're here now." Jason shot her a crooked smile, making her heart flutter. "We can put your umbrella here." He set up the purple umbrella at just the right angle to shade them from the sun, right over a blanket, onto which he sank. "Come on, just throw that stuff anywhere," he said to Melissa, taking her free hand and tugging her down next to him.

Melissa leaned into Jason's side. "I'm starving," she sighed, sniffing the smell of hot dogs appreciatively.

"We'll eat soon. And as soon as it gets dark, the fireworks start." Jason pointed out the three different places that would be shooting off fireworks on the coast so that Melissa would know where to watch. His excitement was audible in his voice, and it was contagious. Melissa felt her own excitement growing as she waited impatiently for the celebration to start. Apparently a love of fireworks was just one of the many things she and Jason had in common.

The two of them had been constant companions every day that summer. Melissa was in Florida house- and pet-sitting for her aunt over the summer, and Jason was visiting his own aunt's family with his brothers. They had met on the beach a little over a month ago when Jason's younger cousins had accidentally kicked a soccer ball right into Melissa's head. They had met on the beach almost every day since then, sharing Melissa's umbrella and fun times together. Neither of them wanted the summer to end, because then Melissa would go back to Virginia and Jason to Texas. But neither of them was thinking about it right now, determined to live in the moment and enjoy what time they had.

Finally it was dark. The umbrella was no longer needed, but Melissa and Jason left it up for it offered some semblance of privacy from the rest of the people on the beach. His brothers and cousins were playing in the water. Melissa was leaning against Jason again, his arm around her shoulders, and they were talking quietly. Suddenly, there was a loud bang. She and Jason both sat up straight and looked in the direction from where it had come, seeing the remnants of a bright blue firework falling glittering to the earth.

A cheer erupted from the beach, and Jason helped Melissa to her feet so they could see better. Melissa watched the fireworks in excitement, but she was more focused on Jason's arm around her waist. He was gently rubbing her side with his thumb, distracting her. As the fireworks show went on, she laid her head on his shoulder, just taking in the moment.

"What do you think?" Jason asked, his whisper tickling Melissa's neck.

"I think it's amazing," Melissa replied with a smile. "This is the best fireworks show I've ever seen."

"Even better than Disney's?" Jason sounded skeptical.

Melissa remembered how much she and her visiting friends had loved the Disney fireworks display when they had gone. It _had_ been pretty incredible. But there was one thing that the Disney fireworks display had not included, and that was Jason holding her close to his side. Melissa smiled wider and answered emphatically. "Yes. Even better than Disney."

"Wow. I've seen the Disney one, and I'm not sure it was better than this."

"Well…" Melissa's heart beat faster. She tried to decide whether or not to say what was on her mind. "Maybe we should go to Disney together."

"That would be fun."

Melissa bit her bottom lip. He still wasn't getting it. "_Then_ I would have to say that Disney is better than this."

Jason didn't immediately respond, and Melissa wished she hadn't said anything. She didn't know what he was thinking now, but she was sure it would have been easier if she had just kept her thoughts to herself. But then she felt Jason's other arm slide around her waist. She held her breath when he bent his head down and gently pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Happy Independence Day," he whispered.


	2. Them and Us

**A/N: Chapter 2 in my song fic! I'm not sure exactly how long this story will be, probably 4 chapters, possibly 5. Give me your feedback, let me know what you think - good or bad. Reviews are like my bread and water as a writer. :)**

**Hope everyone's having a great new year so far!**

* * *

Chapter Two – Them and Us

_In chapter two_

_It got more serious _

_Changed from you and me _

_To them and us _

"They still don't think it's a good idea."

That was putting it mildly. Melissa's parents actually hated the idea of her going to Texas for college. She was in her first semester of her freshman year at a college close enough to home that she was still living with her parents. But she and Jason had been talking about her transferring to Texas so she could go to college with him. Jason would have transferred to Virginia, but they didn't have a good music program at the college Melissa was going to. Melissa had brought up the subject with her parents several times over the past couple of months and always got the same response – a flat, resounding "no."

"Well…" Jason sighed. Melissa could envision him running his hand through his hair. She could see him so clearly in her mind's eye – even though she hadn't seen him in about three months, since the end of the summer when they'd said goodbye. That's when they'd first discussed Melissa transferring.

Melissa sighed in response to Jason's sigh. "Yeah. What should we do?"

"I don't know." Jason was silent for a few seconds. "What do you want to do?"

"Ha, that's easy. I want to be with you."

"But your parents say no. So we need to find another way to be together."

"But we've talked about it already," Melissa said quietly, "and there is no other way while we're in college."

Jason didn't immediately respond. When he did, it was in a low voice. "I could drop out."

"No!" Melissa frowned deeply. "No, Jim, this is your dream."

"You're not dropping out either," he insisted. "You want to be a journalist just as much as I want to be a musician. You're not giving up your dream either."

"I didn't say anything about it."

"But you were thinking it."

Melissa sighed, but didn't say anything. She had been. But they'd gone through this conversation so many times, there was no reason to repeat it, really. "I wish my parents could understand. They just want what's best for me, but they think what we have isn't…"

"Serious. I know. I can understand. They don't want you to make a mistake and run the risk of ruining the rest of your life." Jason sounded grudgingly understanding.

"But it's _my_ life!" Melissa felt tears stinging the back of her eyes. Her resentment to her parents was beginning to show itself in the tone of her voice. She could understand the same way Jason could, but at the same time she didn't want to be held back from what she wanted. "Shouldn't _I_ be able to make the decision?"

"Yes."

Melissa took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She shouldn't yell at Jason – he was on her side after all. He wanted her to be with him just as much as she did. "I don't want to go against my parents, but…I really miss you, Jason."

"I miss you, too," Jason whispered. He didn't add that he wouldn't dream of trying to convince her to defy her parents. That had already been said several times.

Melissa wished more than ever that she was holding him, rather than her cell phone. "Do you know if you'll be in Florida at all next summer?"

"I…doubt it. We've got things pretty well booked through the summer." Jason was in a band that was just taking off. They'd been working for months on getting a good schedule of shows, and they were working on their first record.

Melissa knew how big of an opportunity this was for them, but it didn't make it any easier for her to accept. Of course, she had her internship to think about next year. "I probably won't be going, either." Melissa threw one of her small pillows across the room and flopped backward onto the bed from her sitting position. Her hair fanned out around her. "I feel like the whole world is against us."

"If it has to be that way, at least we're on a team together. I will always be here for you, Melissa, no matter what might happen or what life might throw our way. You can always come to me."

"Same goes here." Melissa closed her eyes, pretending Jason was lying next to her.

"Even if we can't resolve this problem, we'll work something out."

Melissa couldn't answer. She was working hard to hold the tears back. She could tell goodbye was coming. And this goodbye felt different. More serious. More like a parting of ways. Melissa didn't want that. And she knew Jason didn't either. But what else could they do?

"Remember, if you need someone, if you have nowhere to turn, you can always turn to me."

"I know," Melissa whispered. She felt fragile, like one of the leaves blowing in the wind outside her window. She felt like her world could blow away just as easily as the changing leaves were blown off the tree branches.

"I promise."

"I know."

"Goodbye, Melissa."

"Goodbye, Jason." She paused and added, "I love you." But she didn't know if he heard before he hung up.

She laid her cell phone on the bed next to her, the tears beginning to course down her cheeks from her closed eyelids. Melissa opened her eyes and sat up when she heard a light tapping on the window. Rain had begun to fall from the gray autumn sky. A sudden gust of wind whipped through the tree outside her window, and most of the remaining leaves were swept away. Melissa buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

_And we felt like the autumn leaves_

_But the leaves got swept away_

_And the rain bled us off the page_


	3. Chasing a Dream

Chapter Three – Chasing a Dream

_We've gone our separate ways  
__We'll meet up on another page  
__Don't close the book on me  
__Don't you close the book on me_

_In chapter 3  
__Went off and chased a dream  
__That's like a ghost that's haunting me  
__But it's been scarier to be without you_

"Just remember the sunscreen!"

"I'm twenty-two, Mom, I'll be fine." Melissa laughed and said goodbye to her mom. She did toss the bottle of sunscreen into her beach bag before heading out the door. She was in Florida for an interview for a job as a columnist for a magazine based near her aunt's house. That's where Melissa was staying while she was in town. Her interview wasn't until the next morning, though, and she was determined to make the most of her stay in Florida while she was there.

She reached the beach and spread her towel on the sand. After she had set up her big purple umbrella, Melissa sank onto her towel and began slathering sunscreen onto her skin. The sound of the waves crashing onto the shore and the seagulls calling overhead were soothing in one way, but they also gave Melissa a sense of déjà vu.

It had been four years since she'd been here. Four years since the summer she'd spent with Jimmy. Melissa sighed deeply and closed her eyes, remembering.

That summer had been the best of her life. She missed the time she'd spent with Jimmy more than words could say. She hadn't talked to him more than an occasional message on Facebook in a couple years, but he always lingered in her thoughts. They had both finished college and graduated this spring, and now Melissa wasn't sure what he was up to.

Her cell phone rang merrily from her beach bag, interrupting her thoughts. She managed to dig it out and answer it in the nick of time, just before it went to voicemail.

"Melissa!"

Melissa grinned to hear her best friend's voice. "Hey, Jenna."

"So, are you at the beach?"

"You know it."

"Did you already have your interview?"

"Nope, that's tomorrow morning."

"Oh, that's right!" Melissa could envision Jenna smacking her forehead. "I couldn't remember if it was today or tomorrow. So are you spending the whole day on the beach today?"

"That's the plan for now! I've missed it so much the past few years."

"Well, after practically living on it every day the last summer you were in Florida, I don't wonder." Jenna laughed. "Look how different you are now from the last time you were there. You were just a kid before, now you're all grown up and chasing your dream!"

Melissa smiled softly at the reminder and let her mind wander again, only absentmindedly listening to Jenna's chattering.

Yeah, she'd chased her dream all right. She was still chasing it. For sure she was on the path to success, but Melissa still felt as though happiness were eluding her like a ghost. She'd done everything she'd set out to do, down to obtaining an interview – and probably a job – with a best-selling magazine. She had everything she'd ever wanted, so she should be happy. Right?

A cloud drifted over the sun, just as Melissa's thoughts took a more melancholy turn. Her eyes roamed over the beach, taking in the people around her. The beach used to be one of her favorite places, but now it just seemed lonely, like a reminder of what had been and what _could_ have been. Once her thoughts went down the negative path, Melissa couldn't rein them back in.

"Jenna?" she interrupted her friend's prattling. "What happens if I don't get the job?"

"What? I'm sure you'll get it," Jenna replied confidently. "And even if you don't, then you'll find another – and probably better – job."

"It's just…" Melissa wasn't sure how to tell Jenna what she was feeling, especially without mentioning Jimmy. She'd done her best to move on; she didn't want people to realize how deeply she still felt for and missed him. "I've worked so hard for this. This has been my only goal. I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't work out. If I don't become a writer for this magazine – or for anyone else – where will I be?"

"Melissa." Jenna's tone was firm now. "You need to stop worrying. Everything will be fine. Just take things one day at a time. That's all you can do. But everything _will_ work out fine. For now, you should relax and enjoy your time at the beach! And call me as soon as your interview is over because I want to hear everything."

Melissa hung up a few seconds later, but Jenna hadn't been able to cheer her like she usually did. Melissa was still wondering what would happen to her if this interview didn't work out the way she wanted. She'd spent the last four years of her life chasing her dream of being a journalist, doing everything that needed to be done to reach that goal. She'd sacrificed everything else for the dream and now it was in arm's reach. She still felt like something was missing. And even the mere possibility that this wouldn't work out, that her dream would dissolve, was a frightening thought to Melissa. Because where would she be then?

Now it didn't matter how cheerfully the other people on the beach were talking, laughing, squealing. It didn't matter how brightly the sun was shining or how soothing the waves sounded. The atmosphere was ruined for Melissa. She was utterly absorbed in her thoughts and fears of the future.

Then a young couple ran by her, straight into the water. They splashed each other, laughing and teasing loudly. And Melissa realized why she was so frightened thoughts of the future. It wasn't only the possibility that her dream might fade and dissolve into nothing. That was only a small part of it. She realized now that it was scaring her even more to think of her future without Jimmy. She still loved him, even now. She didn't want their story to end; she didn't want the book to close.

She had to believe that, somehow, there was hope for them. They'd meet up again someday.

_Please don't tell me it's the end of the story  
__Don't close the book on me  
__Don't you close the book on me  
__  
We've gone our separate ways  
__We'll meet up on another page  
__Don't close the book on me  
__Don't you close the book on me_


End file.
